On February 10, 1908 the idea of the Bristol Guild of Applied Arts (it became ‘Art' later) was born at a meeting at the Ladies Club, Clifton, while many distinguished Bristolians were present. The proposal was that an association or club, called the Bristol Guild of Applied Arts, would promote the learning of various handicrafts and also be a means of selling members' work.

Handicrafts were important, the chairman said, because they affected the happiness and usefulness of people's lives. One of the objects of the association was ‘to teach people how to employ their hands, a most desirable object.'

The word ‘shop' was avoided because they wanted to make it clear they were not competing with tradesmen: the object was to sell genuine handicrafts and to promote a real interest in art.